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BMI graphing for 1st graders?????????

I have 3 kids. They were all born w/in 27 months. My oldest DD (9 y/o) has a growth deficiency and is seeing a Endocrinologist to determine if steroid shots are necessary. Now my 7y/o DD is much bigger then her older sister. Shes only in 1st grade and is growing at a very healthy rate. My son was 2 months premature and now weighs exactly the same as his big sister (he's in KG). It goes w/o saying that my oldest DD makes her younger siblings look bigger because she's MUCH smaller. So last night I'm going through their back packs & I discovered the school had done a BMI chart on the students. My 1st grader is now classified over 85% & considered OVER WEIGHT. They TOLD HER THIS. She is a solid little girl & is certainly not over weight. There are no rolls or pudge's, and she fits in the average size clothes for her age. Shes the same size a few other girls in her class. There are "over weight" kids and it wouldn't hurt for health purposes to control their diets but not my little girl. She has now come to me with concerns and asked me if she was fat. I wanted to cry. She sees whats going on w/her sister and now has been told by the school that she's over weight. I'm horrified she's going to develop some eating or emotional issues now. WTF????? I've added 3 different photos so you can tell me yourself if I'm over reacting on a defensive note or if I'm right to be upset & worried about whats gonna happen to her because of this.

WOW!! I never thought i was going to get this kind of response. THANK YOU ALL! I feel so much better knowing I'm not over reacting on this. I am planning on addressing the matter face to face. I just got out of the hospital so once I'm able I will be down there.

The thing I didn't mention originally was that she was HIDING this from me in her back pack out of fear that "she had done something wrong" and was afraid to show me this. She has been told by me and other family members that she is by NO means fat, big, overweight, or any such classification. She seems to be ok on the surface right now but god only knows whats going on in her head. I just hope the damage hasn't been done & there's enough strength in me to do some serious damage control. But I will be telling her ruffly 425 people agree that she is NOT FAT. That will make her smile.

Your child is not overweight. You can look at her. Here is somemore crap to make these kids bulemic or anorexic. Tell them to stuff it. Take her to her regular doctor and see what he says. Get him to call the school and explain to these morans that she is not overweight for her age.

I see your point. You have every right to be concerned. I think you should nip this in the bud and let your daughter she is not fat and she is great just the way she is. She will also always be great. As for the school, I would talk to them about this.

All four of you look fit and trim. Tell your little one that there are some kids who don't have awesome mommies like hers and sometimes they need some help at school. So they do these silly tests just to keep track and she shouldn't pay it any mind at all. They give this test to everybody so nobody feels singled out. That's how I explained it to my son, who tested below average for height and above for weight, though he looked like Bruce Lee! I told him muscle weighs more and it makes their chart wrong.

OMGsh, that is ridiculous! She does NOT look overweight at all! I do understand the school stepping in to check on BMIs, but not sure I would support it. I know there are so many cihldren that DO need to play outside/get exercise and eat less junk food, and some parents dont care when they have a child who is CLEARLY in need of a change. But your daughter looks healthy (based on the pix)! Also, if the school did need to step in and help the child with his/her BMI... dont think they should tell the child. They should talk to the parent and take the necessary steps to get the child healhty! Kids dont need any more self-esteem issues than they already have to deal with!! :(

I never have agreed with the BMI scale. It isn't healthy in my opinion. When I went last I wasn't even on the actually chart because I'm tall and skinny. They actually had to compute it with the math. I've been turned down for life insurance 3 times by under writers and the reason listed...body type/build. They said I'm TOO skinny. Funny...because while I'm "technically" underweight according to the BMI I'm not malnourished or unhealthy according to the doc.

BMI is only a guideline to be used by the child's physician...a good physician will not treat the BMI...but will treat the child, make sense? The school needs to bring back GYM, have intramural sports, and fun activities and stop playing doctor with BMI numbers

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